Ajiran Double Murder Trial: Controversy Deepens Over Alleged Leak of Case Files as Social Media Campaign VDM Sparks Fresh Questions
The ongoing trial of Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi, the principal suspect in the alleged murders of two Ajiran Community princes, has taken a dramatic turn amid allegations that classified court documents found their way into the public domain and are now being circulated on social media.
Akanbi, who was declared wanted by the Lagos State Police Command over the killings of Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Ademola Akinloye, has become the centre of one of Lagos State’s most closely watched criminal prosecutions. Beyond the courtroom, the case has evolved into a fierce battle over public perception, with social media narratives, allegations of compromised investigations and claims of judicial interference dominating public discourse.
The deaths of Salami in February 2023 and Akinloye in August 2024 sent shockwaves through the Ajiran Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, triggering widespread calls for justice from traditional rulers, residents, civil society organisations and community leaders.
The renewed investigation gained momentum following the arrest of Safiu Fatai, popularly known as Fabo, on January 24, 2026, and Yusuf Ismaila, also known as Bariga, on February 6, 2026.
On February 20, 2026, police declared Akanbi, a 38-year-old businessman, wanted in connection with the killings after he allegedly fled Nigeria. Following months of intelligence gathering and international collaboration, INTERPOL operatives arrested him in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, on April 15, 2026, before extraditing him to Nigeria to face trial.
Initially considered a straightforward homicide prosecution, the case later became increasingly contentious as court proceedings moved from the Chief Magistrate Court in Ogba to the Lagos State High Court. The trial has since attracted protests, public criticism and sustained campaigns questioning the integrity of the investigation.
Police records indicate that investigators followed due process throughout the investigation. Authorities obtained judicial authorisation before declaring the suspect wanted, collaborated with INTERPOL for his arrest abroad and subsequently returned him to Nigeria for prosecution.
The renewed investigation was reportedly initiated after a petition dated January 7, 2026, submitted on behalf of the Ojomu Chieftaincy Family. Acting on the petition, the Inspector-General of Police ordered a comprehensive review of the case on January 8, 2026.
The investigation was supervised by the then Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, now Assistant Inspector-General of Police Olohundare Moshood Jimoh. Detectives attached to a tactical team at the State Police Headquarters, Ikeja, concluded their findings and forwarded the case file to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal review.
Legal sources note that once investigation files are transmitted to the DPP, aspects of such documents become accessible to authorised legal practitioners through established judicial procedures. This has become central to the current controversy surrounding how portions of the case file allegedly surfaced in the public domain.
According to information available, following the completion of investigations at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, defence counsel to the principal suspect, Mr. Adedotun Ajulo, allegedly requested certified true copies of the investigation file, including records relating to exhibits and properties recovered during the investigation.
The request was reportedly declined by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID, Dayo Akinbisehin, who referred the lawyer to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Fatai Tijani. The Commissioner was also said to have declined the request.
However, it is alleged that the defence later approached the court and, through legal processes involving the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, obtained copies of documents which were subsequently attached to an application seeking Akanbi’s bail before the High Court in Ikeja.
The development has fuelled speculation over whether documents now circulating on social media—and reportedly referenced by social commentator Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM)—originated from materials lawfully obtained through judicial processes rather than from any unauthorised police disclosure.
The controversy intensified after Akanbi reportedly developed serious health complications while in custody. His medical condition sparked widespread speculation online, with claims that the investigation had been compromised.
Among those who publicly criticised the handling of the case was VeryDarkMan, who accused senior police officers of undermining the investigation and questioned the credibility of the criminal justice process.
As the online debate intensified, attention increasingly shifted from the victims of the alleged murders to the welfare and treatment of the principal suspect, generating competing narratives across social media platforms.
Investigative records, however, reportedly contain eyewitness testimonies, confessional statements from arrested suspects and other evidence alleged to link key actors to the crimes. Authorities also maintain that Akanbi’s arrest followed valid court orders issued by both an Ikeja Magistrate Court and the Federal High Court before INTERPOL facilitated his apprehension in the Republic of Benin.
Police also displayed exhibits allegedly recovered from the suspect, including a 2017 Lexus LX570 SUV, an international passport and two mobile phones.
Questions have also been raised over Akanbi’s continued detention in police custody despite an earlier court order remanding him in a correctional facility.
Court records indicate that due to his deteriorating health, a subsequent judicial order directed that he remain under police supervision while receiving treatment at a federal medical facility until he was medically fit to continue standing trial. The substantive hearing has been fixed for November.
Legal observers note that such arrangements are entirely subject to court orders, stressing that law enforcement agencies are legally bound to comply with judicial directives regarding the custody and medical treatment of defendants.
Meanwhile, civil society organisations, including the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) and the South West Youth Alliance (SWYA), have dismissed allegations that investigators manipulated evidence or removed suspects’ statements from the case file.
According to the groups, their independent review found no evidence supporting claims that statements made by Safiu Fatai and Yusuf Ismaila disappeared from investigation records. They further maintained that Akanbi was declared wanted only after the necessary judicial approvals had been obtained.
The organisations also stated that multiple witness statements, including that of the widow of one of the deceased victims, formed part of the investigation, warning that misinformation surrounding the case could erode public confidence in the justice system.
Both groups called on all parties to allow the trial to proceed without intimidation, misinformation or undue external influence, insisting that the court should determine the case based solely on admissible evidence and due process.
As proceedings continue, the Ajiran double murder trial has become a defining example of the growing tension between judicial proceedings and social media activism, underscoring the challenge of preserving the integrity of criminal investigations in an era where public opinion is increasingly shaped online.